1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to illumination devices specifically for use in purses, handbags and backpacks that allow the user to easily activate and illuminate its interior.
2. Description of Related Art
The use of lights as a means for illuminating a purse is known within the art. These may include traditional pocket lamps that hang from a strap down into a purse and must be switched on by the user or light systems built into a purse, which would illuminate upon opening the purse.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,447,142 issued to Weir describes a purse light system. The purse light system is a purse with a built-in light system, which includes a purse outer structure, a battery pack and a light assembly positioned to emit light into the purse chamber. The purse lighting system automatically switches on when the purse opening is in the open position and off when the purse opening is in the closed position. This invention lights the purse from the top of the purse.
Another purse lighting system, U.S. Pat. No. 5,424,926 issued to Meyers describes a purse light. This purse light includes a light for illuminating the interior of a purse, consisting of a mounting assembly housing a light bulb, a reflector to direct the light towards a diffusing lens which projects the light in a multitude of directions and a digital clock.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,508,568 issued to Blue-Recio discloses yet another light assembly for the interior of a purse. This light assembly consists of a mounting structure to secure the assembly to the inside of a bag, an illumination source which projects light to the interior of the bag, and a switch the user must push to turn the purse light on. The switching mechanism for the '598 patent may allow for the lamp to be inadvertently switched on by pressure from items within the purse and may also allow for the lamp to be inadvertently left on by the user, both instances may result in complete discharge of the battery without the knowledge of the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,742,438 issued to King describes a light for the interior of a purse, having a light bulb, an electric power supply mounted within a translucent housing which is temporarily mounted on a mounting bracket which is permanently attached to the inside of a purse. The '438 patent is cumbersome and impractical because it requires mounting brackets to be permanently mounted on the interior of a purse.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0067610 to Marshal discloses a lighted and content-organizing carrying case for illuminating the main compartment and organizing the contents in the carrying case. The lighted and content-organizing carrying case includes a handbag assembly and also includes light-emitting assemblies removably attached to the bag. The light-emitting means includes tubular light-emitting holders each having a side wall and an open end, and also includes light-emitting members being disposed in the tubular light-emitting holders, and further includes batteries conventionally disposed in the light-emitting holders and being connected with wires to the light-emitting members, and also includes on/off switches being movably and conventionally disposed at the open ends of the light-emitting holders and being connected with the wires to the light-emitting members and to the batteries for energizing the light-emitting members, and further includes hook and loop fasteners being securely and conventionally attached to an exterior of the side walls of the light-emitting holders and to one of the walls of the bag in the main compartment for removably fastening the light-emitting holders to the bag. Each of the light-emitting holders includes a plurality of holes being spaced apart and along a length of and disposed through the side wall thereof with each of the holes being adapted to receive a respective light-emitting member which is extended through the hole. The assembly of Marshall appears quite bulky and requires several parts in order to operate. The switch is located at the top and appears to work by being pressed in.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,234,907 to Daniel discloses a light emitting fabric in which optical fibers are part of the weave, replacing some of the threaded fibers, whereby the fabric is uniformly illuminated and, accordingly, decorated. The individual optical fibers are gathered into a bundle at one end of the fabric and illuminated by a light source. Light traveling through the fibers is emitted in small amounts throughout the lengths thereof through small scratches that pierce the outer coating. Uniformity and intensity of light are enhanced by providing a reflective coating on the non-illuminated ends of the optical fibers. According to '907, this fabric is usable in clothing; such as costumes, high visibility safety clothing, suntan suits; rugs, draperies, theater curtains, architectural panels, fiberglass boat hulls, and the like. Because the fibers are all bundled and connected to the same light source, they are lit together.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,992,704 to Stinson discloses a light emitting diode (LED) or lamp that is programmable to emit a variety of colors or hues at the selection of the user having a unitary housing of clear molded solid epoxy supporting three light dies characterized as producing color hues of red, green and blue respectively. A common cathode is supported in the housing and wire leads interconnect the anode of each light die with the common cathode. Control circuits are operably coupled to anode leads and a common cathode lead for selectively energizing the light die anodes so that their respective color outputs visually combine to produce a desired color or hue.
The references that are related to LED and light fabric have no mention of purselights. The references that disclose some type of purselight include assemblies that have many parts and are therefore quite cumbersome to build and operate, do not provide light from the bottom of the bag upward, include pressure activated switches that may be turned on accidentally by the items in the bag and provide point light sources and discontinuous sources of light. Some of the shortcomings of the above are addressed by the aspects of the present invention.